Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin'
by Puddin' Pop and his Jacks
Summary: "I'm not running away from anything baby. You are!" Steven tiredly looked up into the mixed matched eyes glaring into his. "What am I running away from? Could it be lust? Or friendship. True friendship. Or, and this is the very big one here; love?"
1. Prelude: Running Away

**TITLE: **_Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin'_

**SUMMARY: **_Steven has moved to Cleveland to run WB's newest store. Jackie has decided to follow him to Cleveland, after she realizes that what she feels for Fez truly wasn't real. That her 'real' feelings only and truly belong too Steven. Can she convince Steven that their love truly does deserves to shine?_

_The subplot: Eric and Donna are newly married – but they still have much to work out. Especially about Eric going to Africa, and dumping Donna. Can Eric prove his love for her – or will Donna always have a broken heart?_

**CATEGORY: **_Romance/ Drama/ Humor/ Friendship/ Hurt/Comfort/ Family/ Tragedy/ Spiritual/ Suspense/ Crime_

**RATING: **_T_

**PRELUDE**

**RUNNING AWAY **

**THE YEAR: 1982**

**STEVEN'S APARTMENT**

**LIVING AREA**

"You need too go." Steven stared tiredly up into the chocolate eyes of the short brunette woman. He sighed deeply as the woman neither moved face muscle or body muscle. "Jackie, I don't want you here. I don't want to ever see your face ever again. Just go."

"No Steven." Jackie said in a firm and low voice. "I won't allow you to run away from this."

Steven's arms flung against the back of the couch. "This? What the hell is this? I'm _not _running away from anything here baby. You _are_!"

"What?" Jackie screeched.

Steven's eyes read: _You heard me._

Jackie took a deep breath – let it out slowly as she began to speak. "What am I running away from? Could it be lust? Or friendship. True friendship. Or, and this is the very big one here; love?" Licking her lips to wet the tired scabby skin repeatedly.

"_Yes_." Steven sighed out; still looking with intensity into Jackie's own eyes. "Go home Jacqueline Beulah Burkhart. Come back when you are ready to handle what really is between us. I don't want to see you _this _way ever again. Grow up _Ice Princess_." With that Steven got up and went into the bedroom.

Jackie bit down on her lip. He hadn't called her ice princess in years. Her mind flashed back to the first time he called her that. It was when he first set eyes on her across the parking lot. She had been in Micheal's arms at the time. They had finished kissing, and her head was resting against his board chest. Her eyes had slowly blinked opened from her bliss – when they met the hard eyes of the school's rebel. Steven Hyde. Her heart had started beating in that moment. She had fought the truth for so long – how could she Jackie fall for Steven Hyde after all? She must have been on some crazy crack to ever _think_ the idea. But her heart, and soul wouldn't let her be. They always pined after Steven – every single fucking second. He had simply mouthed, _Ice Princess_ and she knew that she was a goner.

She wanted him to insult her every chance that he could get. Either hearing his voice saying her name in the insult – or have his soul speaks to hers. Either or both would be a godsend to Jackie's craving soul for love. She had forced herself into Micheal's inner group of friends. The geeks and Steven. She honestly thought that she could ignore the geeks enough to chase them from the groupings. But, somehow they got under skin, and she actually enjoyed being with them. Perhaps it helped because Steven truly was at home with them.

Steven hadn't said his first words to her since second grade until they were in the Foreman's basement. "Miss matched eyes girl is in my space. Oh hell no, man." Were the exact words he had said to her when they were six – well too be truthful he was six, and she was five. Her smile slowly became the genuine that it was back in first grade.

Jackie turned around and stared at Steven's closed bedroom door. "I love you Steven Hyde, and I'll fix this between us once and for all." She vowed softly under her breathe. She turned and walked out the door closing it softly behind her.

Steven banged his head against the door, once he heard the soft click of his door. "I love you to Jacks. I hope you do fix this whole mess between us. That way I will know that my Jacks has come back to me." He softly said staring at his wall.

**THE FOREMAN HOUSE**

"You know I just feel like calling the gang, to hang out in the basement." Eric sighed as he looked toward the basement door. Turning his head to face his wife, "We are all separated now."

"It was bound to happen." Donna shrugged her shoulders. "We can call everyone back for a reunion. We haven't had one of those since you came home from Africa."

"How many times are you going to throw Africa in my face." Eric's tone harden a little. "I had too go, Donna. I had to have that life experience."

"You didn't need to break up with me." Donna snarled. "I would have waited for you."

Eric closed his eyes and breathed in deeply. _I will live to regret that for the rest of my life. _His eyes opened and he looked into the heartbroken eyes of his wife. "Donna, you know that I love you. That I had always loved you. I made a horrible mistake. One that I will never make ever again." He crossed the kitchen and cupped her cheeks in between his hands, "You can trust in our love."

"Can I?" Donna whispered. She leaned her forehead against her soul mate's. "I love you Eric. I have never stopped loving you. But, how do I know that you weren't abandon me again?"

"You are my wife. Where ever I go – you are going to be right by my side. I'm never leaving you again. What I learned in Africa was that I want to be with you all the time." Eric stroked her face. "I couldn't breathe without you. That's why I came back home. I had to live. For you."

"I so wish I can believe you." Donna pulled away, and left the kitchen.

"I'll spend the rest of my life proving it to you." Eric whispered.

**END PRELUDE**


	2. Basement Babies In Pain

**CHAPTER ONE **

**BASEMENT BABIES ARE IN PAIN**

**JACKIE'S APARTMENT**

"I don't know Mrs. Foreman." Jackie paced her living space, just behind her plush couch. Her right hand rose, and fingers pinched the bridge of her nose. "Kitty – sorry. I know that you gave me permission to call you Kitty, since the morning you caught me sleeping in Steven's room in the basement. The night that you found out that my mother abandoned me."

"Oh Jackie dear;" Kitty began in a soft cooing voice, "don't allow the past mistakes of your mother ruin whatever relationship you guys may find in the end."

"Never gonna happen Kitty." Jackie said in a hard voice. "My mother disowned me. Granted I was eighteen when she abandoned me. But, Kitty, she left me _alone_ in that huge house. She fully knew the staff would quite. Hell, they _told_ her when their day was." Jackie let out a harsh bark, "Go figure that was the day that she _chose _to leave. It was as if she all ready knew that I would be alone in that huge house. She always knew that I didn't like being home alone. Not even for five solid minutes."

"Jackie -" Kitty tried to break in.

"My mother abandoned me, she turned her back solidly against me." Jackie's breathed in, and out; as tears rolled freely down her cheeks. "She doesn't want me. She doesn't love me."

"Oh Jackie," Kitty softly cooed. She wished with her full heart that she could be in Cleveland; so she could wrap her arms tightly around the young woman whom was falling apart.

"You are more of a mother to me – than my own mother ever was too me." Jackie whispered as she knelt down, and wrapped an arm tightly around her knees. "My life is falling apart, Kitty. I need Steven beside me. But, but he refuses."

"He's hurt." Kitty gently said. "He's dealing with his hurt the only way he knows how too. By pushing you far away from him."

"I love him." Jackie whispered. "I need him. He's my savior." Her eyes closed as she pictured her in Steven's arms in the Foreman's basement, on his cot. "If I don't have Steven, then I'm all alone." She felt his face nuzzle into her neck. She smirked as she felt his five o'clock shadow. A lone tear slipped down her cold cheek. "He's my family."

"We are your family also. Red, Eric, Donna and I. Fez also, in a way Michael and Brooke are also." Kitty tried to point out.

Jackie couldn't take it any longer; she pulled the phone away from her, and hung it up. "You don't understand, Mrs. Foreman. Without Steven, than what is the point of living?" She rocked back, and forth as she tried to warm herself.

**FORMAN'S KITCHEN**

Kitty stared at the phone in her hand. She sighed deeply. "I'm not liking this – not one bit." She looked into Red's eyes. "I think we need to get ourselves to Cleveland."

Red sighed. He _really _wanted to open his mouth and get out his typical response. But, he had heard his wife's end of the conversion; and knew that this wasn't the time. If it was anyone else than hell he wouldn't give a rats ass. But where Jackie was concerned all bets was off. He had to go into the uncomfortable area. Too bad that he feel in love with the girl when she held that damn flash light over the Vista Cruiser. He should have just shooed her away. But his heart truly had melted when she told him the rest of the gang were in career day; and she didn't have to do it because she was an Sophomore.

Once she actually told him that she truly didn't have a great relationship – hell a relationship _at_ all with her father – he took her under his wing. She had cemented a place in his heart – closer than Laurie_ ever_ did.

"Okay Cleveland it is." He frowned, "But there is no way that I'm going to live in Ohio, Kitty. I _hate _Ohio!" He sighed. "Let's get our kids back home shall we Kitty?"

Kitty wrapped her arms around her husband's waist. "Oh Red." She squeezed tightly.

"Hey." Eric walked into the kitchen.

"We are going to Cleveland for a few weeks. I'm leaving you in charge." Red looked his son in the eyes. "Don't mess it up. Like burning down the house dumb ass."

"Dad, come on. I'm not some stupid kid whom burns down his parents house when they are out of the state. I have been too Africa after all. Plus I'm a married man now." Eric said with his right hand against his thin stomach.

Red just raised his right eye brow rose.

"Donna is here. You don't have to worry about it." Eric sighed. He rolled his eyes as _both _his parents looked relieved at this news. "God, I need to find a house for Donna and me. Soon." He walked over to the cabinet to see what was in there.

"Yes you do." Red said pulling away from his wife. "We need your room."

"Understood." Eric said in a knowing voice. "As soon as I can find the house that I want Donna and I too spend the rest of our lives in – we'll be out from underneath your roof."

"God, that means you will never leave." Red frowned darkly.

"Dad give me some credit here." Eric dead panned. "I don't plan on living in this house with my wife, and my children forever. That's just not going to happen. I just don't feel that living in an apartment is best for Donna is all."

"You could always rent a house." Kitty put in before Red could speak.

Eric's jaw tightened. "Renting is not right. I want a permanent place for us. I don't want Donna to ever feel that our home is temporary." He shook his head as he leaned backwards against the counter. He folded his arms tightly across his chest. "Perhaps I can build her a home. That will show her that my love is for real, and well never go away."

Red walked up to his son, placing his hands on the thin shoulders. "Son, I love you. I'm going to give you a piece of advice."

"I know," Eric interrupted his dad, "don't be a dumb ass. Actually no, don't be a _royal dumb ass._"

"My advice to you, son, is this." Red sighed deeply. "Have just one house in your entire marriage to Donna; isn't going to prove to Donna that you love her; and that you would never leave her ever again." Bringing up his left hand, and cupped his cheek. "You just have to show her every single second of every single day. In little ways – ways that you can't even think of."

"You are right dad." Eric sighed. "Thanks."

"Don't burn the house down jack ass." Red slapped his cheek.

Eric smirked, "I won't dad." He watched as his father walked over to the kitchen table. "Wait do you think it's a good idea on having Hyde, and Jackie living so close together? I mean Jackie will have Laurie's room – and Hyde will have mine. That's right across the hall from one another. Right across." His lips thinned. "They are going to be a lot of fighting in this house. Day and night. Way past your bedtime."

"Steven is going to be living in the basement. Your room goes to Jackie." Red said. "No way is Jackie going to use Laurie's room. Too many bad memories for the poor girl."

"Oh man, a girl is going too be living in my room." Eric used his puppy dog pout look, "Girls have cooties. Cooties." He leaned forward silently with a goofy smile on his face. "I don't want cooties to get me."

Red just glared at his son.

Eric smiled, "Just as long as Laurie _never_ gets my room – then I'm fine with Jackie having it."

"Your sister would never want to enter it." Red waved his hand over his head.

Eric smirked, "What can I say. I know how to chase my sister away."

Red shook his hand, "Watch it."

Eric sighed. "Look I may disagree with the way Laurie lives her life; but I do love her. She's my sister after all. My blood. If she ever truly needs me – I'm there."

Red sighed, "I know son." His son's relationship with his sister – was exactly the one he had with his brother.

"Now we have best get packed, Red, I want to be in Cleveland no later than tomorrow night." Kitty said rushing from the room.

Red sighed, "I best call for the tickets." He stood to his feet.

Eric shook his head, "No dad. I'll call for your tickets. Go help mom."

Red passed his son on his way out of the kitchen, "Thanks son." He clasped firm hand on the bony shoulder.

"Anytime dad." Eric said with a smile. He watched his father leave the kitchen. He walked to the phone to get his parents on the soonest flight to Ohio.

**STEVEN'S APARTMENT**

Steven sighed as he picked up the ringing phone. He just prayed that it wasn't Jackie. He was sick and tired of putting up the front that he hated her. He just wish that she would finally take his words, and actions to heart and leave him far behind finally.

But, this was Jackie Burkhart. That would _never_ happen.

"Hello." He said in a dead tone.

"Steven." His father's voice replied.

"Oh hey D.W." Steven said his facial expression relaxed. "How are things with you? Also with Angie?" He hadn't really kept in touch with his half sister since she left Point Place. Not because he didn't want too – but she still had issues that he was her brother, and all.

"Angie is good. She's happy finally." D.W proudly replied.

"That's good to hear." Steven grinned himself. "I hope that means that she'll reach out to me soon than."

"She will son, she will." D.W replied. "Steven, I need you back in Wisconsin."

"No way." Steven quickly said.

"Steven you are the only one I trust. The store went to hell since I transferred you to Cleveland." D.W sighed. "Look, I know you have bad memories of the place. I wouldn't do this too you if I had any other choice. But, I'm out of choices."

Steven sighed heavily. "I hate this."

"I know." His father replied.

Steven said his good-byes and hung up the phone. He picked it up once more and dialed a familiar number. "What are you playing at Foreman!" He demanded.

"I'm not playing at anything." Eric sighed on his end of the line.

"My father has informed me that I'm due back in Wisconsin." Steven stormed into the phone.

Eric sighed. "Red sure did work fast." He murmured.

Steven's fist clenched at his side. "Red can fucking mind his own damn business. He needs to stay the hell out of my life."

"If you don't return to Point Place, than Jackie _never_ will." Eric seriously replied.

Steven's heart stopped. "Okay. But as soon as Jacks is truly safe and sound; than I'm outta of there."

"Okay. Just so you won't be surprised; Red wants you back in the basement. Jackie is going to be living in my room." Eric said.

Steven's eyes closed. "I can't be in such close approximate as Jackie, man. It'll simply kill me." He tried to calm his racing his heart beat, "But, there is no other fucking way." He accepted the reality of the situation. "I hate this."

"I know." Eric sighed.

**END CHAPTER ONE**


End file.
